Na serious matter dey ground as Middle East crisis dey shake global airline industry, and big man Aliko Dangote don warn say Nigerians fit dey forced to work from house if the wahala continue. According to reports wey The Nation newspaper publish for March 23, 2026, global carriers dey draw contingency plans to avoid disruptions wey don already cost airline industry about $50 billion since the crisis start.
The Middle East crisis, wey dey between US, Israel and Iran, don cause jet fuel price to double within one month. Jet fuel na the thing wey dey take about one-third of airline costs, and as the price dey rise like say na rocket, airline executives dey warn say passengers go see serious increase for ticket price soon. Even though Nigerian carriers like Air Peace and others no dey directly affected by the crisis for Middle East countries, the global impact dey affect everybody.
Aliko Dangote, wey be Africa richest man and owner of Dangote Group, don talk say if the crisis continue, e fit affect Nigerian workers. “The way things dey go, if jet fuel price continue to rise and airline costs increase, many companies for Nigeria fit tell their workers to stay for house work from home,” Dangote talk. “This Middle East wahala no be small matter – e dey affect everything from aviation fuel to global supply chain.”
For aviation industry, experts don describe the effects of this Middle East crisis as the worst since COVID-19 pandemic. Kenton Jarvis, wey be Chief Executive of EasyJet, talk say: “Fuel spiked quite heavily after the Ukraine invasion in 2022 as well, but this one don pass am. This conflict na the severest upheaval for our industry since pandemic close the skies for 2020.”
The crisis don already make the 20 largest publicly listed airlines lose about $53 billion for market capitalisation since the war begin. Investors don increase their bets on further declines for share prices, with Wizz Air, wey be low-cost European carrier, now the most affected company on FTSE 100, and easyJet sef dey affected.
Carsten Spohr, wey be Chief Executive of Lufthansa, talk say him fear say higher prices fit reduce demand over the longer term but insist say Germany largest airline no get choice but to raise fares. “Our average profit na about €10 per passenger, no way you fit absorb the additional cost,” Spohr talk.
For Nigeria, local carriers dey lift aviation fuel, wey dem dey call Jet A1, from local refining facility. One source close to local operators talk say the global impact of Middle East crisis no don take catalytic toll on their operations for terms of operating costs. But the geopolitical tension fit affect aviation training and aircraft maintenance schedules wey dem plan to do for some countries for the region if dem no put the crisis under diplomatic control.
Ben Smith, wey be Chief Executive of Air France-KLM, talk say the carrier dey put plans in place to cope with squeeze for supplies, including cutting services to parts of Asia. Willie Walsh, wey be head of airlines lobby group IATA and former boss of British Airways, add say: “For the guys for Middle East, this na big crisis,” but e talk say e remain dwarfed by the crisis wey engulf the industry during pandemic.
Andrew Charlton, wey be Head of Aviation Advocacy consultancy, talk say Gulf flag carriers like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar likely go require cash injections from their state owners. “If you be airline without state backing you go dey in trouble,” Charlton warn.
The disruption don extend to cargo as freight from heavily disrupted global shipping dey shift to aircraft, leaving some airports overwhelmed. Giovanni Russo, wey head operations at Geneva airport, talk say goods wey dem send to Geneva airport dey driven to Paris because planes wey dey take off from Swiss base dey full.
As Dangote dey warn about potential work-from-home situation for Nigerians, industry watchers dey look how the crisis go affect Nigerian economy. With aviation fuel price dey rise and global supply chain dey disrupt, many Nigerian businesses wey depend on international travel and imports fit face serious challenges.
Jarvis, wey be Head of EasyJet, talk say him expect airlines share prices go quickly rebound when the war end. “The share price don move against all airlines since the start of the conflict. I think dem go close their position quite quickly if any ceasefires announce,” Jarvis add.
For now, Nigerian aviation authorities dey monitor the situation as global airlines continue to draw contingency plans. The Middle East crisis don show say no country fit escape global economic wahala, and as Dangote warn, Nigerians need to prepare for possible changes for how dem dey work if the situation no improve soon.
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